Iron support stand and holder



1962 c. BETSWORTH 3,059,885

IRON SUPPORT STAND AND HOLDER Filed April 10, 1961. 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, 1962 c. L BETSWORTH IRON SUPPORT STAND AND HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10 1961 INVENTOR i /Z. //@4 m United States Patent Ofifice 3,959,885 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 3,659,885 IRON SUPPORT STAND AND HOLDER Charles L. Betsworth, 2425 E. 39th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Filed Apr. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 102,050 7 Claims. Ci. 248-1171) This invention relates to a support stand and holder for a smoothing iron.

It is an object of this invention to provide a support stand and holder for a smoothing iron which may be detachably coupled to an ironing board when the iron is required for use or to a bracket mounted in a storage cupboard or other fixed support when the iron is not required for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an iron support stand and holder which enables the iron to be selectively supported either in an upright position as is necessary in the case of steam irons during the ordinary use thereof or in a generally horizontal position as when the iron is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an iron support stand and holder device provided with iron retaining means adapted securely to retain the iron in the device ensuring that any vibration or jarring of the device will not displace the iron therefrom.

It is another object of the invention provide an iron support stand and holder which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which is efiicient in operation.

In accordance with these objects, the present invention contemplates the provision of an iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate, an iron rest pivotally connected to said base plate, means on said base plate adapted releasably to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to said base plate, and means for releasably connecting said base plate to a fixed support.

Other features of the invention will be described hereinafter and referred to in the appended claims.

The invention will now be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings which show by way of example one embodiment of the invention and in which:

FIGURE 1 is atop plan view showing the support stand and holder mounted on an ironing board,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view showing the sup port stand and holder in its unfolded operating position, and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View showing a suitable clamp mounted on a fixed support to which the iron sup port stand and holder is adapted to be releasably coupled.

The support stand includes a base plate 10 which is adapted to be detachably coupled to a suitable bracket mounted on an ironing board or in a storage cupboard or the like and an iron rest generally designated 40 which is pivotally connected to the base plate 10 for movement relative thereto.

The base plate it which is tapered at one end is preferably formed of sheet metal, although any other suitable material may be employed. A pair of spaced-apart apertured brackets 12 and 14 extend upwardly from the plate 10 at the tapered end thereof and side flanges 16 and 18 depend downwardly from the plate adjacent the other end thereof. A bracket 20 depends downwardly from the side of plate 18 intermediate the ends thereof and this bracket may be formed integrally with the base plate or it may be a separate member fixedly secured thereto. Opposed vertical edges of the bracket are turned inwardly to form inclined side flanges 22 and 24 and a series of longitudinal stiffening ribs 26 are formed on the surface of the bracket. The bracket 20 depending from the base plate 10 is adapted slidably to engage with a further bracket mounted on a fixed support such as an ironing board or the inside of a storage cupboard or the like. The base plate is preferably formed from a single sheet of material which is stamped and suitably bent to produce the desired configuration.

A resilient locking member 28 comprising an elongated strip of resilient material formed with an inverted V- shaped protuberance 30 intermediate the ends thereof is fixedly secured at one end to the lower surface of the base plate 19 and positioned so that the protuberance 30 normally projects upwardly through a slot 32 formed in the base plate.

The iron rest 40' consists of a plate formed of sheet metal or other suitable material tapered at one end and provided with upstanding side walls 42 and 44 interrupted as at 46 and 48, respectively, and an end wall 50. The iron rest 40 is of such shape and size as to accommodate an iron within the recess defined by the walls 42, 44 and 58 thereof. The convergent portions 52 and 54 of the side walls 42 and 44 respectively, are provided with retaining studs 56 and 58 which project inwardly over the tapered end of the iron rest. The studs 56 and 58 are so positioned that when placing an iron, indicated in dotted outline at 60, in position on the rest, it is necessary to slide the nose thereof beneath the studs 56 and 58 and slip the heel of the iron into the recess formed by the side and end walls 42, 44 and '50, respectively, the studs 56 and 58 assisting in maintaining the iron 60 in position on the rest 40. A series of upstanding transversely extending stiffening ribs 62 are formed in the upper surface of the iron rest 40 intermediate the ends thereof, these ribs also serving to space the heated sole plate of an iron 60 placed on the iron rest out of contact with the iron rest proper to prevent excessive heating of the iron rest during use. Two pairs of spaced-apart apertured brackets 64 and 66, respectively, depend downwardly from the iron rest and a pair of guide lugs 68 and 70 project from the side edges of the iron rest between the end wall 50 and the side walls 42 and 44, respectively. The guide lugs 68 and 70 are inclined outwardly from the iron rest 40 and are provided at their free ends with hook-shaped formations 136 and 138 adapted slidably to engage the depending side flanges 16 and 18, respectively, of the base plate 10.

The iron rest 40 is pivotally connected to the base plate by means of a generally U-shaped hinge member 72. The hinge member 72 is preferably formed from a metal rod and has a pair of inclined arms 74 and 76 interconnected by a bridge portion 78, the ends and 82 of the arms 74 and 76 being bent outwardly in a direction parallel to the bridge portion 78. The bridge portion 78 is pivotally connected to the base plate by its passage through the apertures in the upstanding brackets 12 and 14 mounted thereon, whilst the end portions 80 and 82 of the hinge rod are inserted into the aligned apertures in the pairs of brackets 64 and 66 depending downwardly from the iron rest 40. The iron rest is thus movable relative to the base plate and may be moved to an inclined position relative to the base plate and held thereat by means of the locking member 28 which is adapted to engage the end wall 50 of the iron rest when the latter is moved to its inclined position.

The bracket 26 of base plate 10 is adapted to be coupled to a suitable bracket secured to an ironing board or to any other fixed support. One such bracket 90 is designed for use with an ironing board 92 or the like and is of generally L-shaped form, one arm 94 thereof being provided with apertures 96 adapted to permit passage of fastening screws 98 or the like therethrough for attachment to the lower surface of the ironing board 92, while the other arm 100 is provided with a series of longitudinal stiffening ribs 102 and has the side edges 104 and 166 and the end 108 thereof turned outwardly to form inclined flanges adapted to form a sliding fit within the inwardly turned flanges 22 and 24 of the bracket 20 secured to base plate 10.

Another bracket 110, shown in FIGURE 7, is designed to be mounted on a fixed support such as the inner wall 112 of a storage cupboard or the like and consists of an elongated plate having two portions 114 and 116 disposed in parallel planes and interconnected by a step portion 118. The portion 114 is provided with a number of apertures 120 through which securing screws 122 or the like may be passed for securing the bracket 110 to the fixed support whilst the portion 116 is provided with longitudinal stiffening ribs 124 and has its side edges 125 and 126 and the end 128 thereof bent outwardly to form inclined flanges adapted to form a sliding fit with the bracket 20 mounted on the base plate 10.

An elastic retaining member 130 which, as shown, is in the form of a closely coiled wire spring is connected at one end to one side of the base plate and is provided at its other end with a hook 132 adapted to engage with an aperture 135 formed in the iron rest 40 adjacent the opposite side thereof. In use, the member 130 is adapted to be passed over an iron 60 placed in the rest preferably by being passed through the handle 61 thereof and the hook 132 engaged with the base plate 10. The member 130 is thus effective to strap the iron 60 firmly in position on the rest 40 and its elasticity enables it to accommodate irons of various different sizes. Although, the member 130 is shown as a coiled spring it could, of course, be of any other suitable form such as a strap of resilient material, such as rubber. Normally, when the iron is not required for use it is placed on the iron rest 49 which is folded to the position, shown in FIGURES l and 2, the member 130 positioned across the body by the iron 60 and the bracket 20 engaged with a suitable bracket 110, such as that shown in FIGURE 7, mounted in a storage cupboard or the like. When it is desired to use the iron 60, the handle 61 of the latter is gripped and the stand and holder with iron attached is disengaged from the bracket 110, carried to the ironing board 92 and engaged with the bracket 90 mounted on the ironing board 92. The iron rest 40 is then swung upwardly about the hinge 72 to an inclined position, as shown in FIGURE 6, whereat the locking member 28 is operative to urge the protuberance 30 upwardly through the aperture 32 into engagement with the end wall 50 of the iron rest to maintain the latter in its inclined position. The hook 132 is then uncoupled from the iron rest 40 and the member 130 disengaged from the iron 60. The iron 60 is then ready for use and way be removed from the stand by simply lifting the heel of the iron 60 whilst sliding the nose thereof from under the retaining studs 56 and 58. When the iron 60 is to be set aside during pauses in the ironing process, it is simply placed on the rest by reversing the process and is maintained in an upright position, which of course, is particularly desirable in order to prevent the escape of steam in applications where a steam iron is employed. When the ironing process has been completed, it is merely necessary to replace the iron 60 on the iron rest 40, replace the member 130 in position around the iron whereupon the iron 60 and support stand and holder may be lifted by the iron handle 61 as a unit to disengage the bracket 20 from bracket 90 and thereafter carried to a storage cupboard or the like whereat the bracket 20 may be engaged with a bracket such as 110 mounted therein. Normally, although not necessarily, the iron is stored with the iron rest in its folded position, as shown in FIGURE 1 or 2, the iron rest 40 being folded to this position merely by depressing the locking member 28 so that the protuberance 30 is moved out of contact with the end wall of rest 40 enabling the latter to assume its folded position.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusion privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate; means for detachably connecting said base plate to a fixed support; and iron rest pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to one end of said base plate, said iron rest provided with side walls and an end wall defining a recess adapted to accommodate an iron therein; and means on said base plate adapted releasably to engage said end wall to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to said base plate.

2. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate having guide flanges projecting downwardly from the sides thereof adjacent one end thereof; an iron rest pivotally connected to said base plate, said iron rest consisting of a plate tapered at one end and formed with upstanding side flanges and an end flange; means on said iron rest adapted slideably to engage said guide flanges; resilient latch means on said base plate normally biased to a position above the upper surface of said base plate whereat it is adapted to engage the end flange of said iron rest thereby releasably to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to the base plate; and means for releasably connecting said base plate to a nxed support.

3. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate, said base plate consisting of a flat plate provided with a bracket depending downwardly from one side intermediate the ends thereof, said bracket adapted releasably to connect said base plate to a fixed support; an iron rest pivotally connected to said base plate, said iron rest consisting of a plate tapered at one end and provided with side walls and an end wall opposite said tapered end, said side walls and end wall defining a recess adapted to accommodate an iron therein; means on said base plate adapted releasably to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to said base plate; and an elastic member coupled at one end to one side of said iron rest and adapted to extend over an iron positioned on said iron rest and to be connected at its other end to the base plate thereby firmly to hold said iron on said iron rest.

4. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate having guide flanges projecting downwardly from the sides thereof adjacent one end thereof and a bracket depending downwardly from one side intermediate the ends thereof, said bracket adapted releasably to connect said base plate to a fixed support; an iron rest pivotally connected to said base plate, said iron rest consisting of a plate tapered at one end and formed with upstanding side flanges and an end flange; guide lugs projecting downwardly and outwardy from said base plate from each side thereof, each of said guide lugs adapted slidably to engage said guide flanges to prevent lateral movement of said iron rest relative to said base plate; and resilient latch means on said base plate normally biased to a position above the upper surface of said base plate whereat it is adapted to engage the end flange of said iron rest thereby releasably to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to the base plate.

5. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate having guide flanges projecting downwardly from the sides thereof adjacent one end thereof and a bracket depending downwardly from one side intermediate the ends thereof, said bracket adapted releasably to connect said base plate to a fixed support; an iron rest pivotally conected to said base plate, said iron rest consisting of a plate tapered at one end and formed with upstanding side flanges and an end flange, said side flanges formed adjacent the tapered end of said base plate with inwardly projecting studs, said studs adapted to overlie the nose of an iron placed in said iron rest; guide lugs projecting downwardly and outwardly from said base plate from either side thereof, each of said guide lugs adapted slidably to engage said guide flanges to prevent lateral movement of said iron rest relative to said base plate; resilient latch means on said base plate normally biased to a position above the upper surface of said base plate whereat it is adapted to engage the end flange of said iron rest thereby releasably to support said iron rest in an inclined position relative to the base plate; and an extensible retaining member adapted to extend over an iron placed in said iron rest and to be secured at opposite ends to said base plate and said iron rest, said studs and said retaining member co-operating firmly to secure the iron in said iron rest and enabling the support stand and holder with iron mounted thereon to be lifted by gripping the iron handle.

6. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate, said base plate consisting of a fiat plate provided with a bracket depending downwardly from one side intermediate the ends thereof, said bracket adapted releasably to connect said base plate to a fixed support; an iron rest pivotally connected to said base plate, said iron rest consisting of a plate tapered at one end and provided with side walls and an end Wall opposite said tapered end, said side walls and end wall defining a recess adapted to accommodate an iron therein; co-operating means on said base plate and said iron rest adapted releasably to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to said base plate; and an extensible strap member fixedly secured at one end to one side of said base plate and adapted to be passed over an iron placed on said iron rest and releasabl'y coupled at its other end to said iron rest to hold the iron in place on said iron rest.

7. An iron support stand and holder comprising a base plate, said base plate consisting of a flat plate provided with a bracket depending downwardly from one side intermediate the ends thereof, said bracket adapted releasably to connect said base plate to a fixed support, an iron rest pivotally connected to said base plate, said iron rest consisting of a plate tapered at one end and provided with side walls and an end wall opposite said tapered end, said side walls formed adjacent the tapered end of said base plate with inwardly projecting studs adapted to overlie the nose of an iron placed in said iron rest; resilient latch means comprising an elongated strip of resilient material fixedly secured at one end to the lower surface of said base plate and formed intermediate its ends with a protuberance normally projecting upwardly through an aperture formed in the base plate, said protuberance adapted to engage the end wall of said iron rest thereby releasably to lock said iron rest in an inclined position relative to the base plate; and an extensible retaining member adapted to extend over an iron placed in said iron rest and to be secured at opposite ends to said base plate and said iron rest, said studs and said retaining member co-operating firmly to secure the iron in said iron rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,588,009 Jones Mar. 4, 1952 2,904,296 Graham Sept. 15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 252,331 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1948 

